Betting Alternatives During Sports Cancellations
It is a period of unprecedented times regarding the world of sport amidst the recent virus-related mas cancellations. For the first time since the World War, there are no competitive sporting leagues across the globe currently in play. That has led to vast gamblers wondering how they will now be best spending their time.
With no football, basketball or hockey, bettors are forced to look outside of the box to wager their money, but what are some of the betting alternatives open to gamblers during this period of lockdown?
UFC Betting
One of the biggest sports to still be operating during these uncertain times is the UFC. However, their decision to press on with their promotion for UFC 249 has gained negative media attention after Bob Arum slammed Dana White’s decision to continue the press tour for the main event between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson.
Gamblers will be hoping that the bout goes ahead as planned, with all the most popular betting markets available for the MMA action. However, there are still doubts whether it will go ahead as planned as Khabib may not even be able to fly into the US if the travel ban isn’t lifted in time for the April 19th event. Although, it would seem that White is already forming a back-up plan as he admitted recently that the event could take place outside of the US.
Virtual Sports Betting
The world of virtual sports is becoming a hugely popular betting avenue during these times with no real sports. The systems use an RNG to determine a result, which means it is the casino-equivalent to gambling on sports. There are numerous sports available with sportsbooks to bet on the virtual action, with horse racing, football and greyhound racing all covered. Gamblers would simply wager their money on the selection that they believe will win, and they will then be returned with the winning should their selection be victorious.
eSports
The popularity of eSports has grown massively over the past ten years, and the numbers back that up. The growth over a yearly basis is staggering, with over 192 million players in 2017. During these uncertain times, eSports have been hugely popular with various teams around the world competing against one another on video games. Bettors will able to find eSports markets in the sportsbook and will be able to bet on games such as FIFA, DOTA, COD and CSGO.
The vast majority of betting markets will see the gambler bet on the team that they believe will win, while there are also handicap markets to increase the value on the returns.
Entertainment Props
There aren’t just sports bets to find in the sportsbook, as many of the online sites also offer a vast number of specials markets that bettors can wager their money. The list of these is endless, with punters able to bet on the weather, celebrities and movies. The latter of those is typically the most popular as gamblers can wager their money on films that will win awards over the next year. Reality shows are also a common props market, with gamblers able to wager their money on who will win shows such as the Masked Singer, Survivor and Dancing With The Stars.
Politics Betting
These are uncertain times, and the governments around the world will be the ones forced to answer the questions. That will make the political markets very interesting; especially with the US election taking place towards the end of this year. Gamblers will be able to wager their money on whether they believe Donald Trump will be re-elected, or whether Joe Biden will be able to seize power in the White House. Bettors will also be able to wager their money on the candidate that they believe will be put forward by the Democratic Party. Gamblers can also wager their money on political issues in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia.
Racebook
Horse racing is still very much going ahead across the world, but with no fans in attendance. Racing in North America has been affected in the smallest possible way, with at least three meeting per day still going ahead. That means gamblers will be able to wager their money on the winners of these races. Meanwhile, North America isn’t the only place where horse racing is still going ahead, with action still taking place in Asia, Australia and certain countries in Sweden.
Casino & Poker Room
Every sportsbook now has a dedicated session for casino and poker games, and that is ultimately a very prominent spot for gamblers to wager their money with no live sporting action. Gamblers will be able to place their bets on games such as roulette, blackjack and baccarat at the leading sportsbooks. However, it is important to read up on all the rules for these games before playing, especially if you’re a beginner.
Poker is also one of the most popular options, with millions of players playing around the world every day. However, poker is the most complex of casino games, which means you should understand all the hands before wagering money on your first bet. But, should you already know how to play the games, then it could be an incredibly lucrative avenue.
